Nasser Bader Alsaleh, PhD

Molecular toxicology - safety of engineered nanomaterials

Dr. Alsaleh has been leading a research group in the area of molecular toxicology in collaboration with colleagues from the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology. The group is in the process of establishing a molecular toxicology laboratory in the Department. The current focus of the research group is to investigate the molecular mechanisms of toxicity following exposure to drugs (both FDA-approved and novel/drugs under development) as well as environmental chemicals. Current studies are largely carried out using in vitro cellular models such as Raw 264.7 cells (macrophage), A549c ells (lung), SH-SY5Y cells (neuronal), MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231cells (breast cancer).

Laboratory equipment: 

• Cell culture facility (BSL-2 biosafety cabinet, cell culture incubator)
• Spectrophotometer
• Flow cytometry (Accuri C6) 
• Real time PCR
• Western blotting
• Other equipment: Scales, centrifuges, pH meter, sonicators, homogenizers, thermocycler, chemical hood, etc.

Research interests

• Ensure safe implementation of engineered nanomaterials and nanotechnology in biomedical applications
• Elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms of engineered nanomaterial-biointeraction at the cellular and molecular levels
• Understand engineered nanomaterial structure (i.e., composition/physicochemical properties)-activity (i.e., cellular response) relationship 

​Research goals

• Assess cellular toxicity at the molecular level following exposure to engineered nanomaterials, particularly those that are utilized in nanomedicine and biomedical applications 
• Investigate how engineered nanomaterials influence normal cellular functions at subtoxic concentrations beyond direct toxicity testing
• ​Utilize engineered nanomaterials to understand basic cellular mechanisms with the goal of unraveling novel therapeutic targets and applications (e.g. delivery systems, vaccine adjuvants, immunotherapy, etc.)

Current research projects

• Impact of pre-exposure to metal oxide engineered nanomaterials on the therapeutic outcomes of conventional chemotherapy
• Molecular mechanisms of immune toxicity following exposure to ZnO-doped MnO nanoparticles
• Neurotoxicity of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) at subtoxic concentrations on neuronal growth, differentiation and function
• Assessment of metal engineered nanomaterials adverse responses on primary vascular smooth muscle cells
• In vitro safety assessment of mesoporous nano silica used for drug delivery  
• In vitro safety assessment of polymer-coated MWCNTs 

Previous completed research projects

• Investigation of the synergistic effect of silver nanoparticles in combination with a range of conventional antibiotics against MDR clinical isolates from Saudi hospitals
• In vitro safety assessment of in-house synthesized titanium dioxide nanoparticles
• Assessment of the in vitro immune modulation and toxicity of metal oxide engineered nanomaterials at subtoxic concentrations
• Investigation of the molecular mechanisms of immune toxicity of ZnO-doped MnO nanoparticles 

Current and former udergraduate and graduate students: 

• Noura alnqer, MSc in Toxicology student. 2023–
  • Noura is currently studying the impact of engineered nanomaterials on cellular cellular senescence of breast cancer models 
• Emad Alshehri, Sultan Alghamdi, PharmD students. 2022–
  • Emad and Sultan are currently investigating the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory of a novel antidiabetic mediation in a macrophage model 
• Anas Aljarbou, MSc in Toxicology student. 2021– 
  • Project: Anas is currently assessing  the molecular immunotoxicity of ZnO (1%)-doped MnO nanoparticles. His research will help delineate the molecular mechanisms of toxicity following exposure to ZnO-doped MnO nanoparticles in comparison with undoped counterparts.  
• Areej Alotaibi, MSc in Toxicology student. 2021–23 (Defended in Jan 2023)
  • Areej investigated the synergistic response of combining zinc oxide or silver nanoparticles and conventional antibiotics against clinical isolates of MDR bacteria from Saudi hospitals. Areej's research work was focused on determining the best combination outcomes against the different MDR bacterial strains including both engineered nanomaterials and antibiotics
• Abdullah Almutairi, Fahad Aldajani, PharmD students. 2021–22
  • Abdullah and Fahad participated in a project assessing the in vitro immune modulation and toxicity of ZnO or NiO at subtoxic concentrations
• Mohammed Alnakhli, BPharm student. 2019–20